Chapter 6 - Rewards

While Luke is waiting for the system to calculate his rewards, he started preparing for dinner.

Luke perused the contents of the system storage then his gaze stopped on the icon representing his dinner. It was part of the full-day meal package he had bought earlier, encompassing a variety of meals for the entire day.

Luke had never ventured outside the shop since everything he needed could be easily bought within the system shop with just a click.

Just like now, he had purchased a full-day meal package for a whopping sum of 1 gold coin, which included breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Upon purchase, it was automatically stored in the system's inventory and could be retrieved with a simple click.

Luke always opted for the three-meal combo or the full-day meal package section in the food category, as it seemed like a budget-friendly choice to him. The words "package" or "combo" gave him a sense of getting a good deal.

Little did he know that his daily meal budget could sustain a person for an entire month outside the shop. If he had known, he wouldn't have squandered his money like this.

Oblivious to this fact, Luke examined the dinner he had retrieved from the system storage.

Over the past month, he had sampled various cuisines from different countries. This time, the theme was seafood, a type of cuisine he wouldn't even consider eating back on Earth.

As he savored his meal, thoughts of Earth reminded him of the orphanage.

'I hope they are eating happily.'

While lost in his thoughts, the system finally finished calculating his rewards:

[ Congratulations! ]

[ You obtained the Skill: REBOOT ]

[ You obtained an Augmentation Card ]

[ You Unlocked QUESTS ]

Luke had no clue about the strange items he had acquired. He decided to finish his meal before inquiring about them from the system.

He relished each bite as if it were the last meal on Earth.

The addition of white wine to the seafood dish further enhanced its flavors, leaving Luke ecstatic as he savored the experience. It is worth noting that everything procured from the system shop is of the utmost quality.

After completing his meal, Luke finally approached the system to inquire about his rewards.

"System, could you please explain what the [Reboot] skill is?"

[Every skill has different applications, and it's the host's responsibility to explore and learn more about each skill. The usage and potential applications can vary from person to person, depending on their individual preferences and abilities.]

Luke expected this answer.

Sighing, he realized he had obtained another computer-related skill. He planned to experiment with it later, as he believed it might have other applications like his previous skills.

"I knew you would say that. *Sigh. How about this augmentation card then?" Luke inquired.

[ The augmentation card grants you the opportunity to improve or create something that enhances the quality of anything within the internet cafe. ]

"Woah that's cool! I will try it later. And what about the quests?"

Luke asked eagerly, his curiosity piqued. This time, he wanted to know more about the quests, as they intrigued him the most.

[ The system QUEST has been unlocked. By completing all the quests, you will have the opportunity to upgrade the system. ]

[ QUESTS ]

[ Computer usage of customers reaches 100 hours

~Progress: 0/100 ]

[ Earn 300 Credits

~Progress: 0/300 ]

[ Reward: The Internet Cafe Ranks up to Rank 2 ]

Luke was shocked by this revelation and asked inquisitively, "Am I obligated to complete these quests? And will ranking up the internet cafe benefit me in any way?"

[ Negative. The host is under no obligation to complete the quests. As previously mentioned by the system, its purpose is to ensure the host's comfortable existence in this world. If the quests prove to be uncomfortable or undesirable, the host has the freedom to choose not to pursue them. ]

Luke breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that the system wasn't forcing him into anything. In fact, he felt like the system was trying to make his life more enjoyable.

The system then continued.

[ Regarding ranking up, it offers several benefits. Firstly, you can renovate the shop according to your preferences. Additionally, all the computers inside will receive upgrades. ]

Luke's eyes lit up at the prospect of upgrading his own computer.

His excitement grew as he recalled his previous experiences where he had been unable to download or install additional applications on the computer. He felt excited about the possibilities of downloading new and entertaining things.

[ These are just a few of the benefits. The main advantage is that, for a limited time, you will be able to communicate with people on Earth. ]

Upon hearing this information, Luke's thoughts went into overdrive, momentarily short-circuiting his mind. He stood in disbelief, stunned by the magnitude of this revelation. It was the greatest shock he had experienced since arriving in this world.

"System! Is that true?!"

He exclaimed, unable to contain his excitement. He had believed that connecting with his previous home was impossible, so this revelation was truly incredible. He was waiting for the system's answer in great anticipation.

[ Affirmative. ]

That single word filled Luke with immense joy, confirming his long-held hope of seeing his family. Overwhelmed with emotion, he couldn't contain his excitement, eagerly anticipating the opportunity to communicate with his family. The prospect of being able to talk to them again filled his heart with warmth and anticipation.

He decided to trust the system, convinced that it wouldn't deceive him.

This newfound motivation drove Luke to complete the quests and upgrade the internet cafe to Rank 2.

Luke let out a sigh as he realized the importance of completing the quests.

He was confident that he could easily fulfill the first quest, considering he knew a certain someone who was addicted to computers.

He estimated that within ten days, he would accomplish the first quest without much difficulty. However, he recognized that the second quest presented a more significant challenge as it would require a longer time to complete.

Considering that he could only earn credits through computer usage, Luke assumed that it would take approximately 30 days to fulfill the second quest if only that one elf was using the computers.

It was a daunting task, but he decided not to rush it. He acknowledged that patience was crucial, as excessive excitement could lead to recklessness. With this in mind, he brushed off his initial thoughts and focused on the present moment.

After contemplating for a few seconds, Luke retrieved the Augmentation Card from his storage.

"Hmm, what could I use this for? It's not like I'm dissatisfied with any—"

Suddenly, an idea crossed his mind—an unexpected inspiration from the elf who had previously bothered him.

'Hehe this might be a good idea.'

"System, I will use the augmentation card. Please help me bring this idea to life..."

With the system's assistance, his idea began to take shape.

•••

The following day, after he had just finished his breakfast, Luke heard a knocking sound at the shop's door. Irritated by the early disturbance, he initially chose to ignore it.

However, as the knocking grew louder, he couldn't bear the interruption any longer. In a state of annoyance, he approached the door and unlocked it.

"That's enough! If you keep knocking, I won't let you enter," he declared sternly, expecting to see the familiar elf disguised as a human girl.

To him, she was a troublesome presence that disturbed his peace but also his sole source of credits.

The girl in question appeared shaken and quickly apologized. "I-I apologize. I got too excited."

Upon seeing her pleading eyes, Luke couldn't help but helplessly allow her entry. After all, she was his credit machine.

"Fine. Next time, wait until the opening hours. Just so you know, it's 7:00 a.m. when we officially open. You're five minutes early. Anyway, choose which computer you want to use and don't bother me this time. Read the instructions at the coin box," Luke instructed, pointing at a peculiar box next to the monitor.

The presence of this box was the direct outcome of Luke's utilization of the Augmentation Card.

Curiosity piqued, the elf approached the computer she had used the previous day and found a line of words written in the English alphabet.

[ Coin Box ]

[ Exchange Rate:

~1 Gold Coin = 1 Hour ]

[ Please insert a coin into the slot ]

"T-this."

Luna muttered, puzzled by this new addition. She followed the instructions and inserted a gold coin into the hole in the upper middle of the box.

A clicking sound echoed, and a number appeared on the peculiar box. Simultaneously, the computer turned on automatically.

Luna found herself in a daze, struggling to comprehend the situation. As she observed the number decreasing, she realized it represented the timer indicating how much time she had left.

Worried that her computer time would run out soon, she hastily inserted another coin, finding relief as the time increased.

Discovering that she was having fun, she couldn't help but giggle and continued inserting gold coins, taking delight in the extra hours each coin provided.

Meanwhile, Luke found himself experiencing mixed feelings. On one hand, the repetitive clicking sound irritated him, disrupting his peace. On the other hand, he couldn't help but feel a sense of happiness and satisfaction knowing that he was making progress towards completing the system quest.

It was a conflicting combination of annoyance and fulfillment as he navigated through these contrasting feelings.

'This computer addict.' Luke muttered under his breath, meanwhile, the elf was unaware of the impression she had made on him.

Luna was still not satisfied by the hours displayed in the coin box. However, when she attempted to insert another coin, the coin box unexpectedly rejected it as if it had a mind of its own.

Words appeared on the box's display.

[ Warning. You can only use the computer until closing hours. ]

This reminder snapped Luna back to reality.

'This is troublesome. Eleven hours are not nearly enough. Boss is so stingy,' she thought, realizing that her computer time was limited.

Nevertheless, her curiosity got the better of her, and she decided to satisfy it once again by using the computer.